Bill Clinton to deliver keynote address at signing of national peace accord
Lagos Police assure Nigerians of adequate security
Former president of the United States of America (U.S.A.), Bill Clinton will on Wednesday deliver a keynote address at the signing of national peace accord by presidential candidates in Abuja ahead of Saturday’s polls.
The National Peace Committee (NPC) headed by former Military Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), invited the 42nd President of the U.S. and Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, to visit Nigeria between February 12 and 13, 2019 ahead of the presidential elections.
Clinton and Baroness Scotland will deliver goodwill messages at the ceremony scheduled for the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
A statement from NPC’s secretariat yesterday, affirmed that Clinton would also hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“As we move into Nigeria’s elections, the threat of unrest has to be taken seriously,” the statement added.
It noted that both guests enjoy enormous respect in Nigeria and beyond hence the country looks forward to their advice to help Nigeria navigate through a peaceful and fair election.
The NPC also expressed appreciation to the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF) for supporting the process in 2015 and for supporting free and fair elections in Nigeria again in 2019.
It also engaged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security services, 91 registered political parties, the media and civil society organisations (CSOs).
Also, the Lagos State Police Command said it has made adequate security arrangements for a hitch-free election, ensure safety of lives and property, as well as prevent violence during and after Saturday’s presidential election in the state.
The Command’s Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Taiwo Kasumu, disclosed this while delivering a lecture at a sensitisation workshop with security agencies on strategies to de-escalate conflicts on electoral duties and prevent violence in the state.
Kasumu said if the Police fail to mediate, check and reduce electoral conflicts, elections in the country might be marred by violence and intimidation and could be used to influence electoral outcomes, thereby defeating the tenets of democracy.
Speaking, Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, South-West Zone, Lucas Koyejo, urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that they carry out their electoral duties in line with best international practice without compromising free, fair and credible polls.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Media Forum (AMF) has urged politicians, especially presidential candidates to shun violence and accept results of the elections.
To maintain law and order during the elections, it also charged the Federal and state governments to provide adequate security to avoid violence.
It stated this in a communiqué issued by Emmanuel Yawe after a one-day seminar on Hate Speech and Electoral Violence in Kaduna, stressing that politicians should learn to embrace and congratulate the winner, while comforting the losers.
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